


X is for Xanthic

by Psychodelikas



Series: The Alphabet of Dreams [25]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Shit got back to normal!, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, or did it?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 06:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14038293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psychodelikas/pseuds/Psychodelikas
Summary: The only difference was that I knew exactly where I was because someone had pressed a magical ‘Unlock’ button which had allowed me to remember the castle and my entire life in the milliseconds it had taken me to cross over.“I’m gonna kill him,” I breathed, air barely reaching my lungs. “I’m gonna kill him… I swear to God, I’m gonna kill him!”





	X is for Xanthic

**Author's Note:**

> Xanthic - yellowish.

“Do explain to me what we’re doing,” Zane asked sweetly as she approached me.

“We’re going to hail a cab,” I answered then I embraced her. “Then we’re going on a small road trip.”

“A road trip?” she repeated amused. “That’s why I took today off?”

“When you’ll see where this road trip leads to, you’ll be on your knees, thanking me.”

“Oooooh! Get her!”

I had instructed Zane to meet me at the University because it was one of the areas most populated by taxies. We looked around for the one with the cheapest rate but when I handed the dude a piece of paper with the address written on it, his eyes sparkled like he had just secured himself the fair of his life. He was not wrong.

“Very double-oh-seven of you, Vala,” Zane remarked after the car was put into motion.

“Thanks, he did learn from the best,” I said modestly, making her laugh.

“But seriously, where are we going?”

I just smiled at her and looked out the window.

Zane remained silent for the most part of the way, until we left city limits. “Okay, joke’s gone far enough,” she said. “Not that I’m complaining! But usually, I’m the one with the mysteries.”

I laughed. “Well, I thought you were long overdue for a taste of your own medicine.” She playfully slapped my arm. “Also, I got my parents talking about the castle.”

Zane gasped. “You did?”

I nodded. “And if you remember, the newspaper article had the exact address too.”

“I remember, I remember,” she said excited. “I can’t wait to get there!”

I chuckled at the look on her face then resumed looking out the window. As trees replaced buildings, my heart started beating faster. I knew it was senseless to go there but I felt like I was finally going in the right direction. What I really was grateful for was the cab driver. He wasn’t the one who felt the need to talk to his fairs but let the radio fill the silence.

At a certain point, the road forked to a wide and paved path in the forest and the driver went right. Everything had been prepared, there was no doubt about it. I had never been into the woods to know how it had looked like before but the road had been professionally made. It was perfectly even and the only reason I knew that was because Zane’s skin had not turned green. It was also wide enough for three taxies to drive casually side by side.

However, as soon as the car turned, I felt a pleasant shiver run up and down my spine. It was more than I could explain to myself. I felt almost like I was going home. It was so perfectly normal for me to be on that road with my best friend at my side. It was…magical.

“We’re here, ladies,” the man said as he stopped the car. “That’ll be –”

“Keep the meter running,” I cut him off. Zane stared at me with huge eyes. “We won’t be here too long.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said without question.

I quickly got out of the car, looking straight ahead. The driver had stopped close to where the building should have been. Instead, a gigantic hole greeted me. Inside was a true labyrinth of pipes. They hadn’t even been able to cover everything, they had just left it like it was.

“Keep the meter running?” Zane repeated after she caught up with me.

“Would you rather we walk home?”

“Yes!”

I looked at her with my lips pressed in an amused line. “Fair enough,” I admitted, “but, Zane, come on! Look at this place! Tell me you don’t feel it.”

I saw that all too familiar spark in her eyes. “You mean, you…” she whispered. “You can feel it too?”

“Yes,” I said also in a whisper. “I’ve been feeling it since we got here. We’re –”

“Home,” Zane completed for me. She chuckled then covered her face with her hands. “Holy shit, Vala. We’re home! Does this mean I’m not crazy for what I said that day?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I mean, you’ll always be crazy, no matter what.”

“Screw you, Vala.”

“I love you more. Now start looking for a way in.”

“Roger, roger!”

We split up, Zane going one way, I, the opposite. Judging by the size of the foundations hole, it would have been the type of castle one read about in fairytale books. I regretted even more that the deal had failed.

As I was walking along the edge, I suddenly felt a strong pull leading away from the construction site. I wet my lips and looked in Zane’s direction. She had already disappeared from my field of vision. I wet my lips again but went in the direction the pull was coming from nevertheless. I was getting further and further away from the foundations but I was hypnotized. As I got closer, the pull got stronger.

After a considerable walk into the forest, I came across a pair of bunker doors. There was no lock or anything. I smiled without realizing as I ran the remaining distance. The pull was very strong, I was definitely on the right path. Each door had a rusty ring attached to it. I grabbed one of them with both hands and took a deep breath. I pulled the door open with all my strength. I grunted in distress and nearly lost my balance. I hadn’t expected the door to be _that_ heavy. The hinges made inhuman sounds which caused all nearby birds take flight. After pulling it half way, I let the door fall with a loud and heavy thud.

I stretched my neck, peaking inside. I could only see the first five steps then nothing but pure darkness. I quickly rummage in my purse for my phone. I activated the flashlight app then bravely put one foot in front of the other and descended into the unknown.

The bunker hid a long, damp and cold corridor made out of black stones. I could see only as far as my light’s reach which wasn’t that far at all. A very small part of me wanted to turn tails and go back home. The rest of me straightened up and walked down the corridor.

However, it appeared like the corridor had no end. It just went on and on without twists or turns or anything! I had no idea for how long I had been walking but it already felt like too long. Just as I was about to turn around and take a closer look, maybe I had missed an opening, a torch not too far from me spontaneously ignited. I screamed like a silly little girl then quickly covered my mouth. I stupidly stared at the freshly made flames, my brain processing what had happened. I fearfully approached the torch then the rest of the corridor seemed to come alive. Dozens upon dozens of torches spitted out fire, illuminating the way.

At first, I could only stare open-mouthed, my heart in my throat. Then I closed the flashlight app and put my phone back in my bag. I broke into a run, too nervous to do anything else. I covered much more ground in that way and soon, I saw myself getting closer to a different kind of light. I let out a triumphant exclamation. All of my excitement was dialed to one hundred when I finally arrived at my destination.

I had seen the yellow light emanating from an irregular tear in the wall. It was like some sort of barrier and it was dripping with magic. Small bursts of sparkles sizzled and popped at random all over its surface. Yet despite its appearance, I somehow _knew_ it was magic and I knew it was the good kind.

“This is it,” I heard myself saying out of breath. “This is it. Holy shit! This is really it!”

I laughed nervously then took several deep breaths to calm myself down. I regarded the barrier in all of its splendor once final time. I ran through it…

…and almost crashed into the same brick wall on the other side. The only difference was that I knew exactly where I was because someone had pressed a magical ‘Unlock’ button which had allowed me to remember the castle and _my entire life_ in the milliseconds it had taken me to cross over.

“I’m gonna kill him,” I breathed, air barely reaching my lungs. “I’m gonna kill him… I swear to God, I’m gonna kill him! But where…?” All of the torches from my right were extinguished at the same time as I thought that. “Thank you,” I said grateful. I ran down the left side, wheezing rather than breathing loudly.

The door at the end or beginning of the corridor opened on its own and I ran up a short flight of stairs. The door at the top also opened on its own. I found myself in a gallery decorated with beautiful portraits. The sounds of guests going about their day wasn’t that far away, giving my legs new strength. I ran towards the lobby and was recognized as soon as I approached the stairway.

“Vala!” Timo yelled from his spot behind the reception desk, waking his hand animatedly. I vaguely registered the fact that Zane was supposed to be there but only for a moment.

“Timo!” I exclaimed and changed course. I shoved everyone out of my way, earning myself a lot of reproaches.

“Well, I never!” the dwarf exclaimed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re running from – _d’oooooh!”_

I didn’t let him finish because I picked him up and hugged him tightly right in front of everyone.

“I’m touched, really!” Timo said embarrassed. “But do you think you could put me down now?”

“Sure,” I agreed and placed him on the table. “Bye!” All I saw last of him was his shocked face.

I ran up the stairs right to Zane’s room. She and James were still in the chair I had left her but I didn’t care about that.

“Vala,” the energivore said worried. “What has happened? Your energy is all over the place.”

“Shut up!” I told him then threw my arms around both their necks, gluing them to me.

“Whoa, Vala!” Zane exclaimed with a nervous chuckle. “Hey, there. Is everything all right?”

“It is now,” I said as I let go of them. “It is now. Bye!”

“Wait, what?!”

I darted out of her room and right towards the library. I was just about to open the knobless door when the runes activated all on their own. Sarah Williams casually exited then stopped in her tracks when she saw me. She only had time to say, “Vala, what – oh!” before I plunged myself around her neck, hugging her as well. “Oh, no,” she said after I let go of her. “No, please! Tell me he didn’t.”

I nodded my confirmation. “I’m gonna kill him,” I stated simply. Sarah scoffed in agreement then got out of my way. I reached the library in record time.

And looking over the edge on the opposite direction was none other than Jared Freakin’ Korrick himself. He no doubt sensed that his life was in mortal danger for he turned around as I headed towards him. “Valaria!” he exclaimed, relief, surprise and joy all mixed into one.

“I’m gonna kill you!” I informed him passionately as I stomped my way to him. “I am going to kill you, you son of a bitch!”

For the first time in his life, Jared had no idea if I was actually going to make good on my threat or not but it really didn’t matter.

As soon as I was at arm’s length from him, both mental and physical exhaustion caught up with me and I lost consciousness, falling right into the mismatched bastard’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for still being here! ^.^


End file.
